Single parenting is one of the most demanding roles a person can hold. You are often the steady one — the planner, the emotional regulator, the homework coach, the breadwinner, the one who shows up. And in the spaces in between, there can be a quiet exhaustion that few people see. Maybe you became a single parent through divorce, separation, loss, or choice. However you arrived here, you deserve a place to set down the weight, get honest about what’s hard, and reconnect with the parts of yourself that aren’t only “the parent.”
You’re holding more than anyone realizes
If you’re a single parent in Sacramento — or anywhere in California — you may recognize some of these: a persistent low-grade tiredness that sleep doesn’t fix; feeling pulled between providing financially and being emotionally present; guilt about not being enough, about needing rest, about your own grief or anger; a complicated mix of relief and loneliness after a separation or loss; difficulty asking for help, or not knowing whom to ask; worry about how your child is processing all of this, and uncertainty about how much you should share; loss of your social circle, your identity outside of parenting, or your sense of future.
None of this means you’re failing. It means you’re doing one of the hardest jobs there is, often without enough support.
What therapy can offer single parents
My work with single parents tends to move along three interwoven threads. First, tending to your nervous system. When you are the only adult on duty, your body learns to stay on alert. Over time, that wears on sleep, mood, patience, and physical health. Together we build small, sustainable ways to come back to baseline — somatic check-ins, grounding practices, and permission to rest without guilt.
Second, reclaiming your story. Single parenthood is often narrated to you by others — by family, by friends, by the culture. Therapy is a place to author your own narrative: what you’ve survived, what you’ve learned, what you want to carry forward, and what you’re ready to release.
Third, rebuilding identity beyond “the parent.” You are not only a mother or father. You are also a person with desires, interests, ambitions, a body, and an inner life. We make room for those parts of you to come back.
Who I work with
I work with single parents across many different paths into single parenthood: recently separated or divorced parents navigating co-parenting; parents whose partners have died; parents by choice — single mothers by choice and single fathers by choice; LGBTQ+ single parents; parents in cross-cultural families navigating single parenting alongside cultural expectations; parents of young children, school-age children, teens, or adult children.
My approach
I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in East Sacramento, with 15+ years of clinical experience. After several years of private practice in San Francisco’s Mission District, I now offer secure virtual sessions to clients throughout California, with flexible scheduling designed for parents who can’t always make a clinic visit work. With single parents, I draw on psychodynamic therapy, somatic approaches, and — when it feels right — expressive arts: movement, sandtray, drawing, or other creative ways of working when words alone aren’t enough.
A personal note
I’m also a single mother of two, and I know this terrain from the inside. I know the kind of tired that doesn’t make it into the wellness articles, the relief that surprises you, and the love so big it sometimes leaves you depleted. My clinical training is what I bring to the work — and my lived experience is part of why I trust that you can move from surviving to thriving.
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer evening or flexible appointments for single parents? Yes. I know childcare and work schedules can make traditional daytime appointments difficult, and I try to hold some early-morning and evening slots specifically for parents. Please ask about availability when you reach out.
My ex and I disagree about therapy for our child. Can I come on my own? Absolutely. The work we do together is your own — focused on your wellbeing, your processing, and your growth. Adult-only therapy for the parent is often one of the most stabilizing things a child can experience indirectly.
I’m not in crisis — I just feel exhausted and a little lost. Is therapy still for me? Yes. Therapy is not only for crisis. Many of the most meaningful courses of therapy begin precisely at the point where someone realizes “I’ve been surviving long enough.” You don’t need to wait until things are dire.
Do you take insurance? I’m an out-of-network provider. I can offer a superbill for you to submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement under out-of-network benefits. We can talk through fees during a brief consultation call.
How do virtual sessions work? We meet on a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform — easy to access from your phone or laptop. Many single parents find that virtual therapy fits more easily into their lives: no commute, no childcare logistics for getting to an office, and the option to meet during a nap, lunch break, or after bedtime. I see clients from all over California — Sacramento, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, and small towns in between.
You don’t have to keep doing this alone.
If you’re ready to move from surviving to actually living again, I’d love to hear from you. Reach out for a free 15-minute consultation to see whether we’d be a good fit.